One of our favorite ways to lend a casual, airy feeling to just about any room is to use rush matting (also known as apple or medieval matting). Rush is a wonderful natural material that can be laid down as either an area rug or wall-to-wall. Colorful upholstery and pattern pop off of this neutral background that suits both old historical homes and modern ones. Don’t you love how the pink pops in this living room designed by Matthew Patrick Smyth?
We’ve always loved this living room designed by Jeffrey Bilhuber, below, which features two rush matting carpets side by side in an elegant beach home on Long Island (also love the back to back sofas!).  A more defined braid runs through this rush carpet in a living room designed by Peter Dunham (below).  Here’s an example, below, of what this type of carpeting (in designer Peter Dunham’s office) can look like if installed wall-to-wall. We think you can’t go wrong with this type of carpeting and that it looks chic, chic, chic no matter where you put it! A great alternative to costly wool and silk rugs 🙂